The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-01-19

EXTENSION OF TRADE AND COMMERCE

Ii it be true that "trade follows the
flag" Canadian commerce should most
certainly be extended in the South Pa
ciflc Since the completion Of the Ca
madam Pacific Railroad tdcre has been
an expressed determination on the part
OF the Dominion Government to pro-
mote direct steam communication pc
tween Victoria, B. c., and the port OF
Sydney as distributing point for Aus
tralasia. The project. however aas not
gone beyond the stage of discus nj
preliminary step of very great Sly fl
canoe has been taken. Mr. Alexander
Woods, well known business man, has
been appointed Agent General for
Canada in Australia. His functions will
not be diplomatic, however He is sim
ply to be a commercial agent, whose
business will be to place Canadian
ma. fractures and merchandise ON the
Australian market. 1t is thought posi-
BILE that Canada will at least be able to
displace American goods. Mr.. Woods
will proceed to Sydney, where he will
open an office and warehouse, in which
he will show samples of goods from over
200 Canadian manufacturers From this
office Mr.. Woods will direct his work
through the medium of persons having
local connections and thorough knowl-
edge of the requirements of the Austria
lasian colonies. Canada is prepared to
supply AustraIasians with all the goods,
except resin and turpentine, that are
now imported from the United States.
Mr. Woods holds that the Canadians
can at any rate compete with the United
States, and thinks that, in some lines at
least, the Dominion will be at no disad-
vantage even as regards England for
the Canadian Government have wisely
decided to grant drawback to the man
to pay upon importations of raw mate
.ial where he can bring proof of its ex-
pOrtation as manufactured goods. In
other words, the Government arrange
nents will practically permit Canadian
manufacturers to carry on their manufac-
lures for the Australasian market in
bond
Mr.. Woods recently visited England
in connection with this affair, and good
deal of newspaper discussion followed
on both sides of the Atlantic in conse.
quence of the outline of his plans. The
modus operandi appears to be this: The
goods will be put in the Canadian Gov
eminent warehouse, and be made Access
will sell on commission, subject to the
approval OF the manufacturer, who will
have to pay the cost of their goods to
the port of shipment in advance, the re-
mainder OF the expense OF Transportation
being free. The Canadian Pacific Rail-
way Company, it is understood, will
charter Vessels on the Pacific pending
the commencement of the regular SER
vice, but already Mr. Woo Is is instructed
to give freight rates from the ST. Law
renee ports TO Australasia during the
summer, so that there will be no need to
rely upon shipments either from Boston
or New York.
Should this programme be carried out
we may find an occasional Canadian
packet touching at Honolulu But it is
not probable that Eastern manufacturers
win submit to the contemplated dis
placement OF their growing and profita-
bic trade with Australia without q struo-
GLE 1t would not surprise us to find q
regular line OF vessels established ba-
tween Boston or New York and
sydney or other leading Austral-
an port, thereby lessening trans
oortation charges upon merchan-
iise as contrasted with the COM
oined railroad and steamship charges
lpon Eastern goods shipped by way OF
San Francisco. There is ample freight
or the existing steamship line from San
Francisco to the Colonies without refer
nee to Eastern manufactures, and as
his must ever remain the mail route to
he Colonies it need not fear either Ca
adian or Eastern competition.